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Almoonqith tragedy in Sydney Cup no-race

Experienced jockeys Corey Brown and Damien Oliver have slammed the decision by Racing NSW stewards to call off the Sydney Cup, believing the incident wouldn't have posed a serious safety concern.

The $2 million feature two-mile handicap was made void as a result of Almoonqith breaking down, which led to Who Shot Thebarman crashing to the turf and dislodging rider Blake Shinn.

The incident occurred in the early stages of the race as the field went past the winning post on the first lap.

Stewards explained that with James Doyle, rider of Almoonqith still on the track, a horse that wasn't moving and the unpredictability of Who Shot Thebarman, they made the tough decision to void the race.

Several riders heard the siren, which indicates such decision by the stewards, and retired their mounts from the race but others didn't, continuing to ride as they normally would.

Four horses completed the race, with Polarisation first, followed by Chance To Dance, Penglai Pavilion and Assign.

Corey Brown, who rode Polarisation, was heavily against the decision.

"I didn’t know it was a no race until I turned around and started to come back," he said.

“The pony rider I thought was yelling out there was a riderless horse.

“But I already knew that as I heard Darren Flindell’s call when he said one had broken down.

“I kept looking up to see if there was something coming head on towards us because that is a different but story but nothing like that has happened.

“I was saying to Ollie I’d race to keep to the right as there is a riderless horse.

“Then I come back and they said it is a no race – how does that work?

"It is bullshit. We could have gone around them. By the time I got to the incident we were 150m past the winning post, I'd pulled up to a trot by that stage."

Damien Oliver, who rode Assign, was another who was extremely disappointed by the decision.

“It’s a joke, if it had been on the home turn that is a totally different story," he said.

“But it is after the race so what effect is it going to have.

“There is a lot of money at stake for all the owners and everyone involved.

“I have starved myself for two weeks to ride mine."

Chief steward Marc Van Gestel explained the decision to media following the event, indicating safety of both jockeys and horse was his main concern.

“The stewards were concerned as the field approached the 1600m mark in respect to the safety of the two riders: Blake Shinn on Who Shot Thebarman, and James Doyle on Almoonqith," he said.

“Having regard to the condition of Almoonqith as the field made their way to the 1600m mark, the stewards discussed with the official starter who was positioned near the 800m in respect to the running of the Sydney Cup, as to whether or not the race would continue.

“The stewards became concerned that, particularly with Almoonqith remaining motionless on the track, with the potential to get up and run back towards the field, and in also assessing both James Doyle and Blake Shinn, who were still at that point situated on the track.

“The stewards in the order of safety and to ensure that no body was going to be further hurt declared the Sydney Cup a no-race, on the basis of safety.

“Now there was a number of riders who continued to ride.

“There was a message sent from about the 800m where unfortunately several of those riders failed to hear the call to abandon and stop the race.

“But we are satisfied in the circumstances that given the decision we made at the 1600m to call the race a no-race, that that is in fact the decision of the stewards.

“The club is looking as to whether or not the race can be rescheduled in the near future and a decision will be made once Racing NSW liaises with the ATC, as to whether or not it can be fit into the schedule in the next few weeks."